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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27653296">The End</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTruthIsOutWhere/pseuds/TheTruthIsOutWhere'>TheTruthIsOutWhere</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canonical Character Death, Episode Fix-It: s15e20 Carry On, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:54:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,495</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27653296</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTruthIsOutWhere/pseuds/TheTruthIsOutWhere</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I had a lot of strong, mixed, feelings after the finale and I'm working them out through writing apparently. Have a coda/fix-it where Dean reunites with Cas before reuniting with Sam.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The End</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sam rounds the corner, Miracle hot on his heels, and freezes before the open bedroom door. He heaves a sigh, as if to brace himself, and then enters Dean’s bedroom. Everything looks the same, and somehow that feels very wrong to him. How can everything look the same when his brother is just… gone. Permanently this time. All because of some stupid vamp and a fucking piece of rebar. This wasn’t right or fair and nothing could convince Sam otherwise. His rage was simmering under the surface again and he was tempted to sweep everything of the desk in the room in anger. Instead he forced himself to calmly walk over and glance at what his brother had been reading before he… Before they left for that last hunt.</p><p>Expecting to see a newspaper article or maybe even some Busty Asian Beauties, Sam was confused by the presence of one of the heavier Men of Letters volumes he’d ever seen. He picked it up and skimmed the page lying face up. </p><p>“Although, the existence of angels is at this time purely theoretical, many have theorized as to the final resting place of these creatures in true death. As heaven is the location angels likely would carry out their “lives”, so to speak, it is believed there is likely a location antithetical to both heaven and additionally hell. This location was once dubbed “the empty” by Men of Letters Scholar Jeremy Titus in 1928 and the name has carried forward in the pursuit of scholarly angel studies.”</p><p>Sam’s eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. Dean was reading about angel deaths? He obviously already knew that’s where Cas had ended up… why would reading about it help? Sam shifted the book aside to view the remaining Men of Letters books piled on the desk. Sam frowned at the titles: “The Afterlife”, “Purgatory for Angels and Demons”, and “Resurrection”. Sam understood now, Dean was grasping at straws. He was putting on a brave face in positively remembering Cas’ sacrifice, but he was still trying to get him back. Of course he was, Sam should have known. Hadn’t he really always known that Cas was Dean’s happy ending, his “win”? Sam sat on the bed with tears in his eyes, stroked Miracle’s fur, and said what would be the last prayer he’d ever make:</p><p>“Jack, I know you’re not interfering anymore, but please. Please let my brother finally be happy.”</p><p>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p><p>Dean sat next to Bobby, his Bobby, on the front porch of the roadhouse and smirked as he sipped his crappy beer.</p><p>“Cas “helped”, huh? Why am I not surpised?”</p><p>Bobby glanced back with an exaggerated eye roll. “Probably because that angel’s always been a Winchester and none of you could ever follow the rules?”</p><p>Dean laughed and nodded with a tilt of his head. “You’re not wrong old man, I’ll give you that.” Dean replied and then paused with a thoughtful expression on his face, almost timid in his response.<br/>“Is he… Is he here?”</p><p>Bobby softened and looked at Dean knowingly. “You really think he’d have left knowing you were on the way?”</p><p>Bobby turned his head to the left just a second too soon to catch Dean’s confused expression, eyebrows scrunched. His eyes lifted to look beyond Bobby’s chair and were met with a pale tan against the beautiful mountain landscape. His breath caught as he took in the sight of his best friend standing at the end of the porch, looking directly at him with a small, sad smile on his face.</p><p>“You really couldn’t last a week without me Dean? I left you for a WEEK and you got yourself impaled?” Castiel snarked flatly.</p><p>Dean didn’t know whether to laugh or cry frankly but at the moment it sort of seemed like his body was doing both. A huge grin spread across his face as tears also began to slide down his cheeks. Before he could really process what he was doing he was up and walking down the porch past Bobby’s, now weirdly empty, chair.</p><p>Regaining some level of calm and Winchester sarcasm Dean responded. “Well ideally I would have gone out with a love confession and some self sacrificing bull shit but that one was already taken.”</p><p>Cas’ smile fell off his face and his gaze dropped to the dirt. After a heavy sigh he responded. “I apologize Dean, it wasn’t my intent to burden you with my feelings. I knew they weren’t reciprocated but saying them aloud… it was the only way to save you. And I would have rather had you unharmed and uncomfortable than within Billie’s grasp. I am sorry that you didn’t get to stay on earth longer but you did save the world one last time. We never have to speak of that night again but I am happy to have served my purpose. I don’t regret my choices.”</p><p>Dean take a sharp breath in. “Your purpose? How many times Cas… You’re not a tool to be used!”</p><p>“Dean”</p><p>“No you know what Cas? My turn. I get to talk now, so shut it. Your purpose? You didn’t have a “purpose”. You’re family, man! You, me, Sam, Jack, Mom, everyone. We’re a FAMILY. Isn’t that really what we’ve been fighting for all these years? A choice? And fine you made a choice to sacrifice yourself for me, and let me tell you something- I hated that, but it was your choice. Unfortunately I have to respect that. But would you stop with this purpose bullshit! You deserve just as much happiness and contentment as the rest of us Cas! You told me I’m not Daddy’s blunt instrument, and you know what? I finally believed you. I finally understood that you were right, that everything I’ve ever done has been because of love, not anger. Despite Chuck’s best efforts that’s always been the case. But I’m here to tell you that you aren’t Daddy’s blunt instrument either Cas. You’ve defied Chuck’s plan at every turn. He even said it himself! Every other version of you fell back in line, but not you. You defied heaven, you gave up an army, you sacrificed again and again. All for us. For me. Did you really think I don’t love you back? That you couldn’t have this? That you don’t mean everything to me Cas?”</p><p>Dean was fully crying now as he looked at his angel who also had tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like I didn’t love you. And I’m sorry that I was too scared admit it before now, that my stupid baggage wouldn’t let me admit how god damn in love with you I’ve been for years. But of course you can have this. You’ve always had me. If that’s still what you want?”</p><p>Cas’ radiant smile was making another appearance through tears and he looked just as content as he had at their previous goodbye. Dean couldn’t help but return the expression. </p><p>“Dean” Cas sobbed.</p><p>Dean launched himself off the porch, glad that his knees no longer ached in heaven, and wrapped Cas in a suffocating hug as they both sobbed into each other’s shoulders.</p><p>“I’m so glad you’re here Cas. I really thought I’d never see you again, never get to tell you…”</p><p>Cas pulled back just a fraction to reply. “Me too Dean, I really was prepared to spend eternity in the empty. But the thought of never seeing you again…”</p><p>Dean decided Cas wouldn’t be finishing that excruciating thought and briskly closed the gap between them, connecting their lips. Cas gave a soft sigh and somehow both sobbed and moaned through his tears. They both stilled for a moment, just taking each other in, until Dean whined and pulled his angel closer. His arms slithered under that ever-present trench coat and pulled Cas in tighter, probing deeper as Cas reciprocated. Slowly they pulled apart and rested their foreheads together.</p><p>“I love you so much Dean.”</p><p>Dean smiled. “I love you too angel. Sorry you thought I didn’t for so long.”</p><p>Cas returned his smile. “I suppose we’re here now and that’s all that matters. We have time now Dean, finally.”</p><p>Dean’s smile grew impossibly wider and another tear broke loose. He leaned in for another kiss now that he could.</p><p>In the distance a tall figure strode carefully down the path leading to the front door to the roadhouse and paused taking in the scene in front of him. Sam smiled softly and spoke aloud, “Thanks kid”.</p><p>As Dean pulled back again he sighed softly and said, “Now if only Sam were here this would be perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I want him to live a long and happy life, but I’ll miss that giant moose.”</p><p>Cas glanced out of the corner of his eye down the path but didn’t move away from Dean and smiled.</p><p>“Don’t worry Dean, time moves differently in heaven. He’ll be along.”</p>
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